Diabetic Association wants announcement on life-long free insulin for Type-1 diabetes in ‘Mujib Year’

The president of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh has urged the government to distribute costly insulin free among the people suffering from type-1 diabetes.

Prof AK Azad Khan, speaking at a workshop on Saturday, said he is expecting such an announcement next year when Bangladesh will celebrate ‘Mujib Year’.

Bangladesh will celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation as Mujib Barsha or Mujib Year through yearlong programmes which will begin on March 17, the birthday of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The programme will end on Mar 26, 2021, the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence.

Prof Khan is a member of the committee formed to celebrate the year.

He said he had already made the proposal at a meeting. “It's just a matter of political decision,” he said, “it may cost the government only Tk 500 million a year to distribute free insulin.”

“But for individual families particularly those who are poor it’s a big burden to buy insulin life long,” he said, adding that many cannot afford it.

“Insulin is a human rights issue for them because they will not survive without this. It's life-saving for them.”

Diabetes in adults as a lifestyle disease or Type-2 diabetes is well-known in Bangladesh. But Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.

So those patients have to depend on insulin since their childhood. Monthly insulin costs around Tk 8,000 at a minimum for a person.

According to Prof Khan, of the total diabetic patients in Bangladesh, about 5 percent are such Type-1 diabetes. Bangladesh does not have national registry of diabetes patients, but estimates suggest there are 7 million people suffer from diabetes in the country.

The Bangladesh Health Reporters’ Forum (BHRF) and Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) jointly organised the workshop on SDGs and non-communicable diseases with the support of insulin-maker Novo Nordisk.

Director General Major General Md Mahbubur Rahman was present as chief guest while Acting Editor of Samakal Mustafiz Shafi spoke on the role of media in creating health awareness and education. Managing Director of Novo Nordisk Anand Shetty explained the details of the company.

BHRF President Toufiq Maruf, General Secretary Nikhil Mankin, and Novo Nordisk Head of Commercial Affairs Md Tanbir Sajib also spoke at the programme moderated by Nurul Islam Hasib of bdnews24.com. Gazi Towhid Ahmed, Public Affairs Manager, Novo Nordisk, was also present.